Latest news with #Balochi
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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
Balochistan: BLA claims it killed Pakistan Army-backed leader in IED attack
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a militant group in Pakistan-administered Balochistan, claimed responsibility for a remote-controlled IED attack that killed top members of an alleged Pakistani army-backed killing squad read more Amid the brewing tensions in the region, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for a remote-controlled IED attack that killed Muhammad Ameen, one of the prominent members of an alleged 'Pakistani army-backed killing squad'. On Monday, BLA accused Ameen of taking part in all sorts of military operations, enforced disappearances, and targeted assassinations in the Zamuran region in Balochistan. 'Agent Muhammad Ameen, a prominent agent of the occupying Pakistani army's so-called killing squad, and his son were both neutralised by Baloch Liberation Army fighters. BLA liberation fighters used a remote-controlled IED to assault enemy agent Muhammad Ameen's truck. As a result, he was neutralised alongside his son, Naveed Ameen, and his vehicle was destroyed,' BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The BLA maintained that Agent Ameen was personally involved in aiding military aggression in Zamuran and its nearby areas. The BLA also accused the kill squad leader of engaging in enforced disappearances and deliberate killings of young people in the conflict-stricken region. About the Pakistani kill squad According to the statement released by the BLA spokesperson, the so-called killing squad had the freedom to evade the army's regulations and is notorious for circulating drugs in the region. 'The same gang, led by Muhammad Ameen, was directly responsible for the martyrdom of 'BRAS' liberation fighters,' the statement further reads. It is pertinent to note that the attack from the Balochi militant group came days after Pakistan introduced a draconian law that allows Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies to detain individuals, especially Baloch civilians, for up to 90 days without charge. The Counter-Terrorism (Balochistan Amendment) Act 2025, which was passed by the Balochistan Assembly last week, allowed the detention of anyone solely based on suspicion. Shortly after the law was passed in the Balochistan Assembly, legal experts and human rights activists warned that the legislation bypasses judicial safeguards and effectively legalises the atrocities and practices already being committed by the Pakistani security forces in the shadows. Under the Act, Pakistan's Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) can now operate with expanded powers. They can issue detention orders and conduct ideological profiling of the suspects. Not only this, but military officials will now be sitting on the oversight panel, eroding civilians' control over law enforcement. For decades, Baloch civilians have been facing atrocities in the Pakistani-administered regions. This has also led to a rise in militant activities in the province. With inputs from ANI.
Fashion Network
23-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Soorty teams up with Rieter for traceable denim manufacturing in Pakistan
Denim manufacturer Soorty has partnered with spinning systems supplier Rieter to enhance traceability and sustainability in its operations in Pakistan. The collaboration integrates Rieter's advanced ring spinning technology into Soorty's fully automated spinning mill, enabling efficient yarn production with improved energy use and reduced environmental impact. Soorty's mill is capable of processing 22 different fibres at once, including natural, cellulosic and recycled synthetic materials, the business announced in a press release. The set-up includes 20 G 38 ring spinning machines operating at spindle speeds between 12,000 and 18,000 rpm and Autoconer X6 winding machines, enabling the production of slub yarns for contemporary denim applications. The partnership also incorporates Haelixa's DNA marker technology for fibre-level traceability. Applied during the blowroom stage, the markers allow each batch of yarn to be verified throughout the production process, from fibre to finished product. 'We've invested in the most advanced, fully automated machinery from Rieter for Soorty Spinning- not only for the performance, but also because we believe the technology that drives us should serve both quality and the planet,' said Soorty Spinning's COO Kashif Suleman in a press release. Soorty plans to expand this traceability system to its Soorty Organic Cotton Initiative, which supports over 1,000 farming families transitioning to organic cotton cultivation in Naal, Pakistan. The initiative also includes training for rural Balochi women, reinforcing Soorty's commitment to community uplift and sustainable manufacturing.
Mint
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Jaffar Express hijack: BLA releases video on train capture, ‘Our struggle has come to a point where…'
The Baloch Liberation Army's media wing, Hakkal, that had hijacked the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan province of Pakistan, has released a video documenting its operation – codenamed Darra-e-Bolan 2.0 – in March 2025. Dozens of separatist Balochi militants blew up a railway track and lobbed rockets at the Jaffar Express, carrying more than 400 passengers. The video provides the first comprehensive visual account of the operation, contradicting official Pakistani claims and underscoring the BLA's control during the attack. The footage reveals BLA fighters executing what appears to be a coordinated clearance operation onboard the Jaffar Express train. It also shows passengers of the train sitting outside the train after the hijacking. A BLA fighter, delivering a statement in the video, underscored the motivations behind the attack, 'Our struggle and war has come to a point where we are to take such critical decisions.' 'Our young people are equipped to take such steps, for they are aware that except such decisions there are no other options left. A gun is needed to halt the gun. The sound that comes out of a gunshot may reach a point,' he said. He said, 'Baloch young men have taken the decision today to attack the enemy without any hesitation and care about their lives. Today if a son is leaving his father behind to sacrifice his life, so is a father leaving his son behind to sacrifice himself for the cause.' During the two-day incident, Pakistan Army spokesperson DGISPR had claimed that the BLA had suffered heavy losses – a claim the BLA has rejected. At least 21 passengers and four paramilitary soldiers were killed by militants who seized a train in Pakistan's Balochistan, a general said, declaring that the army operation was over. Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif told Dunya News TV that security forces killed all 33 militants present at the scene. Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar also confirmed that the 33 terrorists who held Pakistani citizens hostage have been eliminated.
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First Post
19-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
How Baloch Liberation Army's shifting approach signals its growing political understanding
By linking its cause to broader concerns about regional terrorism, nuclear security, and stability, the BLA is framing its resistance not just as a local liberation struggle but as part of a larger fight against militarism and extremism read more As Pakistan clings to its control over Balochistan through militarisation and resource exploitation, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) continues to assert itself as the most formidable indigenous resistance force in the region. The BLA's recent attacks on May 11, 2025, and declared military exercises for the anticipated Operation Herof 2.0 underscore its strategic evolution and growing capacity to strike at the heart of the Pakistani state and its foreign collaborators. The name 'Herof', which means 'Black Storm' in Balochi and Brahui, reflects the symbolism of the operation as violent, sweeping, and unpredictable. These military exercises were aimed at testing enemy responses, gathering intelligence, and preparing for Herof 2.0, demonstrating the BLA's preparedness for sustained conflict. If Operation Herof was a storm, the next might well be a deluge, heralding a more intense and coordinated campaign. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The BLA's twin statements on May 11 not only laid out the operational details of these attacks but also conveyed a broader political and military message. The organisation claimed responsibility for over 71 coordinated attacks across more than 51 locations in Balochistan, targeting Pakistani military convoys, checkpoints, intelligence agencies, mineral transport vehicles, and death squad (Pakistan military–backed militias) agents. In one of the most significant operations, BLA militants seized control of the Hoshab area in Kech, taking over the Levies police station and NADRA office, confiscating weapons, and burning both buildings after positioning themselves along the highway for snap checking. Similarly, in Bonistan, Panjgur, fighters held control for over four hours, engaging in combat, continuing snap checking on the main highway, and targeting a fleeing death squad vehicle with heavy gunfire—resulting in serious losses. The third major assault took place in Majboorabad, where a military convoy was ambushed, killing 14 personnel, injuring others, and destroying three vehicles along with a surveillance drone, according to the BLA's May 11 statement. These coordinated, systematic, and decisive attacks not only caused significant casualties and property losses to the Pakistani forces but also demonstrated the BLA's readiness and military capabilities for Operation Herof 2.0. As part of these exercises, BLA carried out seven more attacks across Ornach, Panjgur, Kalat, Noshki, and Sibi districts. These included road blockades, IED blasts, and armed assaults on Pakistani military outposts. According to the BLA, these attacks form part of its long-term strategy to destabilise the occupying forces and prepare for more extensive engagements in the future. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But these attacks are more than just battlefield victories; they reflect a broader military build-up for Operation Herof 2.0, the sequel to the August 2024 Operation Herof, the largest insurgent offensive in Balochistan's modern history. That operation targeted 13 districts, destroyed 44 military and economic targets, and resulted in the deaths of at least 130 Pakistani soldiers, according to the BLA's spokesperson. Centred around coordinated fidayeen missions, sabotage of infrastructure, and short-term territorial control, Herof marked a new phase in the BLA's warfare—more sophisticated, more disciplined, and far more difficult for Islamabad to suppress. A Legitimate War of Liberation Despite Islamabad's relentless branding of BLA as a terrorist group, the movement has repeatedly proven that it functions not as a scattered band of militants but as a disciplined resistance force for national liberation. The BLA's fighters undergo structured military training, operate under a centralised command, and follow a coherent ideological framework rooted in the Baloch people's right to self-determination. The organisation's legitimacy comes not from external validation but from the mass support for the Baloch nation, its historical grievances, and its consistent demand for independence following Pakistan's 1948 annexation of Balochistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a powerful segment of its May 11 statement, the BLA reiterated its appeal to India and other regional powers to recognise its status as a national liberation movement and to support its fight against Pakistan's colonial occupation. This is a calculated call that underscores the widening regional scope of the Baloch liberation struggle. The BLA argues that helping Balochistan regain its sovereignty would serve not only the Baloch people but also regional stability by weakening a militarised Pakistan that continues to nurture extremist proxies across South Asia. Operation Herof's Strategic Impact The first Operation Herof was not merely symbolic. Launched in August 2024, it marked a transformation in the BLA's approach—away from hit-and-run ambushes and toward prolonged, multi-layered campaigns involving dozens of strategic points. One of the most high-profile actions of the operation occurred in Lasbela district of Balochistan, where the BLA's self-sacrificing unit Majeed Brigade Fidayeen, stormed a paramilitary base with vehicle-borne explosives and automatic weapons, killing 68 soldiers and occupying the compound for over 20 hours. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Simultaneously, the BLA's elite units, Special Operation Tactical Squad (STOS) and Fatah Squad, executed highway blockades, targeting Pakistani convoys and effectively shutting down logistics in several areas. The BLA's use of surveillance technology, real-time intelligence through its intelligence wing ZIRAB, and locally supported logistics made Operation Herof one of the most successful guerrilla offensives in South Asia in recent decades. But perhaps even more telling was the Zehri Control, conducted earlier in 2024, which BLA described as a 'military exercise' for Herof 2.0. Fighters from the STOS seized control of government buildings, police stations, and banks in Zehri without harming civilians, remaining in control for hours before voluntarily withdrawing. This act was not only militarily significant; it was also deeply symbolic, demonstrating BLA's capability to govern and its commitment to a disciplined liberation ethic. Fidayeen Warfare and Asymmetrical Supremacy Since its inception, the BLA's Majeed Brigade has led the charge in self-sacrificing or fidayeen warfare, a tactic designed to maximise impact on high-value military and economic targets. Rather than chaotic violence, these attacks are the result of deliberate planning and strategic calculation, carried out with a precision that speaks to the depth of the conflict and the determination behind it. From the 2018 attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi to the 2022 bombing at the Confucius Institute, the BLA's fidayeen operations have struck at the core of Pakistan's strategic partnerships, especially with China. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The 2024 fidayeen attack on Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, targeting Chinese investors and engineers; the attack on a military train in Quetta, killing more than 30 personnel; and the attack on a military convoy bus in Noshki, killing 90 personnel, further displayed the BLA's capability to strike in the heart of urban Pakistan. These are not the actions of a fragmented militant group but of an organised resistance force with a clear chain of command, battlefield discipline, and strategic foresight. Operation Dara-e-Bolan and Expansion Another key milestone in the BLA's recent military history was Operation Dara-e-Bolan, initially carried out between January 29 and 31, 2024. Involving 385 fighters from four specialised and elite BLA units, the offensive resulted in the control of a 70km radius, including Mach town and the NH-65 highway. According to BLA's media wing, over 78 Pakistani security personnel were killed, with minimal BLA casualties—only one fighter from the Fatah Squad was martyred, along with 12 fidayeen in Majeed Brigade-style suicide operations. It was one of the rare offensives where the BLA held territory for several days, underscoring its evolution into a structured liberation force. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD More recently, between March 11 and 18, 2025, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) launched the second phase of Operation Dara-e-Bolan on a broader scale. According to the organisation's official statement, the hijacking of the Jaffar Express near Bolan district and a fidayeen attack on a military bus convoy in Noshki resulted in over 354 'enemy fatalities', 214 captures, and more than 100 injuries. The VBIED fidayeen strike in Noshki, which targeted a military convoy of eight buses, killed over 90 army personnel and wounded dozens more. Together, these operations mark a significant escalation in the organisation's operational capacity, territorial ambition, and strategic coordination—signalling a potential shift from guerrilla-style insurgency to a more organised and territorial confrontation. What to Expect from Herof 2.0 The upcoming Operation Herof 2.0 promises to surpass its predecessor in scale, coordination, and impact. Given the May 11 exercises, it's evident that the BLA is preparing for a campaign of attritional and symbolic attacks across both military and economic domains. As the Pakistani state deepens its reliance on foreign investment, particularly from China, BLA's operations have increasingly targeted the infrastructure and personnel associated with such ventures. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The message is clear that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will not proceed without resistance, and any development on Baloch land without the consent of its people will be met with force. The BLA's focus on infrastructure sabotage, oil and gas pipelines, and Chinese convoys reflects a larger anti-colonial ethos that opposes foreign exploitation masked as development. Push for Diplomatic Recognition The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has made a decisive push for regional and international recognition, declaring that a 'new order has become inevitable in the region'. In its recent statement on May 11, 2025, the organisation emphasised its independent political and military standing, rejecting all claims that the Baloch resistance is a proxy movement. The BLA stressed that it is not a silent spectator but a key actor in the emerging strategic formation of South Asia. The organisation specifically called on India and neighbouring states to re-evaluate their policies towards Pakistan, warning that Islamabad's repeated peace gestures are nothing more than deceptive war tactics. 'Every promise from Pakistan is soaked in blood,' the BLA stated, accusing the country's military and intelligence agencies of sponsoring extremist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and ISIS. With nuclear weapons in the hands of what the BLA described as a fanatical and failing military regime, the risks to regional and global peace are growing more dangerous by the day. Positioning itself as a stabilising force, the BLA asserted that its armed resistance in Balochistan, conducted without any foreign support, has successfully challenged one of the world's nuclear powers. With diplomatic and defence support, particularly from India, the Baloch struggle could dismantle what it calls a 'terrorist state' and pave the way for a peaceful, independent Balochistan that actively contributes to regional security. The BLA offered a direct alliance to India and other powers, pledging readiness to strike from the western front if a broader regional initiative is taken to neutralise Pakistan. Drawing a historical parallel, it urged India to view the Baloch struggle the same way it supported Bangladesh's liberation in 1971, framing the moment as a rare convergence of moral duty and strategic interest. In the BLA's view, ignoring Pakistan's military dominance today risks not only regional instability but also the perpetuation of state-sponsored terrorism across borders. Calling itself the guarantee of a 'progressive' and 'terrorism-free' Balochistan, the BLA urged the world to recognise its long-standing resistance and legitimate status. For South Asia to move toward lasting peace, the organisation argued that supporting the Baloch freedom movement is no longer a political option—it is a strategic necessity grounded in regional stability, justice, and self-determination. This appeal reflects a notable shift in the BLA's strategic posture, from a primarily guerrilla movement to one that seeks to define the geopolitical landscape. By linking its cause to broader concerns about regional terrorism, nuclear security, and stability, the BLA is framing its resistance not just as a local liberation struggle but as part of a larger fight against militarism and extremism. Its outreach to India and other powers also signals a move toward more overt political diplomacy—an attempt to break out of isolation and enter international security discourse. While such appeals may not immediately result in formal recognition, they indicate a growing political maturity and an acute understanding of regional fault lines that the BLA is now seeking to influence. BLA Redefining Armed Resistance As the dust settles from the May 11 attacks and the region anticipates the arrival of Operation Herof 2.0, it is evident that the BLA is no longer a marginal force; it is a central actor in South Asia's security matrix. Its ability to combine tactical brilliance, ideological legitimacy, and disciplined military strategy makes it a unique liberation army in the 21st century. Pakistan's continued repression—disappearances, mass killings, and demographic engineering—will only push more Baloch youth into the arms of the BLA. And as long as the Baloch people's demands for sovereignty remain unaddressed, the BLA's relevance will not diminish; it will expand. Operation Herof 2.0 might just be the blow that shakes the foundation of Pakistan's control over Balochistan, signalling to the world that the age of passive resistance is over and that the Balochs have chosen the path of self-determined liberation by all necessary means. Mehrzaad Baluch is a Pakistan-based journalist writing under a pen name. His reporting focuses on Baloch armed organisations, with a particular emphasis on the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pakistan Jails Baloch Human Rights Activist
Activists from Baloch Yakjehti Committee and civil society hold portraits of Mahrang Baloch, one of Pakistan's most prominent human rights advocates, during a protest demanding her release, in Karachi on Mar. 24, 2025. Credit - Asif Hassan—AFP/Getty Images Pakistan has again arrested Mahrang Baloch, a prominent champion of human rights for the country's ethnic Baloch minority, and barred her lawyer from visiting her in jail. 'She was looking weak and stressed,' her sister Nadia Baloch told TIME on Monday after being allowed a few minutes with the activist in Quetta's Hudda District Prison, where she has been held since Saturday. Mahrang Baloch's lawyer was not allowed in; nor was the food her family had brought. 'Our greatest fear is that she will be given contaminated food—or worse, something harmful,' Nadia Baloch said. The circumstances of Mahrang Baloch's arrest illustrate both the complexities and the risks of her work for the Balochis. The ethnic group, whose population is often put at between 10 and 15 million, resides on arid lands divided by the borders of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Like the Kurds, whose historic homeland was arrayed among several Middle Eastern states when nation states were being drawn, many Balochis want more autonomy, if not a state of their own—and some have taken up arms. Pakistan's Balochistan province has seen decades of conflict between the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and a heavily militarized state. The latest clash, on March 11, appeared to mark a dramatic new level in its guerrilla and terror operations when a BLA force hijacked a train, resulting in scores of deaths. Pakistan's response to the insurgency has been a decades-long 'dirty war' that has left thousands of Balochi citizens missing and presumed dead. Mahrang Baloch founded the Baloch Yekjehti [Solidarity] Committee to advocate for a political future grounded in recognition of human rights, including ascertaining the fates of the disappeared. The state has not engaged, however. After the hijacking of the Jaffar Express, state security forces ramped up pressure on Balochi human rights advocates, detaining several Solidarity activists in Quetta, the Balochistan provincial capital. On Friday, state forces opened fire on protesters who had assembled to demand their release, killing three. Mahrang Baloch was arrested the next day at a sit-in where protesters had assembled with the bodies of the victims. 'She is quite strong. She will not give up on this,' said Imran Baloch, her attorney, who like many Balochis uses Baloch as a surname but is no relation. The lawyer said the state clearly feels threatened by Mahrang's increasing prominence, noting that it escalated against her in October after she was included in the TIME100 Next list of the world's emerging leaders. Mahrang learned that she had been placed on a no-fly list and her passport had been suspended only when she was turned away from her flight to New York to attend a TIME event. Her lawyer said she also felt 'pressurized' by the state after she was nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. 'There is a complex web of violence and human-rights violations in Balochistan that creates a very challenging environment for human-rights defenders, particularly women human-rights defenders, working on issues of enforced disappearance,' Sarah de Roure, the global head of protection at the advocacy group Front Line Defenders, told TIME in October, after Mahrang was detained at the Karachi airport. 'She is being targeted as a woman, she is being targeted as a Baloch woman, because of the work that she's doing, which is publicly speaking on the issue of enforced disappearance—initially around her own family, and then as part of a broader movement.' Following her latest arrest, prominent human rights advocates, including Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai and the U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders, called for her release. Nadia Baloch, the sister, said family members were turned away the three previous days they went to the jail. 'So today we said that we will be on hunger strike if you will not allow us to meet her. Then they just allowed me to visit her for few minutes,' she said. 'She did not know the reason that she was arrested. I must say that is illegal, that they have not allowed her lawyer to meet her. They have isolated her in a room separate from the other prisoners.' Contact us at letters@
